Buchanan is 1-9 against Clovis North since March of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Bears will venture away from home to challenge the Broncos at 6:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Buchanan 3.2, Clovis North 2.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Buchanan barely beat Liberty the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bears' pitcher stepped up to hand the Hawks a 10-0 shutout on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Bears, who have now won eight matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Brooklyn Ainsworth was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Sammie Kulak was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one double. Harmony McMurry was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
Buchanan always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .517. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Liberty only posted an OBP of .118.
Meanwhile, Clovis North got the win against Hanford West on Tuesday by a conclusive 8-0. The victory continues a trend for the Broncos in their matchups with the Huskies: they've now won three in a row.
The team relied heavily on Kayleigh Lua, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and one triple. That triple was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Riley Grealy, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
The win made it two in a row for Buchanan and bumps their season record up to 17-5. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 0 runs in those games. As for Clovis North, their record now sits at 14-4-2.
Buchanan couldn't quite get it done against Clovis North in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 7-3. Can the Bears avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
